The Veterinary Journal publica este artículo de investigación

1 de septiembre de 2013

Recent studies suggest that badgers may be a potential reservoir of Mycobacterium bovis infection for cattle in Northern Spain. The objective of this study was to investigate potential epidemiological links between cattle and badgers. Culture and molecular typing data were available for cattle culled during the national tuberculosis (TB) eradication campaigns between 2008 and 2012, as well as from 171 necropsied badgers and 60 live animals trapped and examined over the same time period. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains were isolated from pooled tissues of 14 (8.2%) necropsied badgers, of which 11 were identified as M. bovis: six different spoligotypes of M. bovis were subsequently identified. In two geographical locations where these isolates were shared between cattle and badgers, infected cattle herds and badgers lived in close contact. Although it remains unclear if badgers are a maintenance or spill-over host of M. bovis in this setting, it would appear prudent to have precautionary measures in place to reduce contact between cattle and badgers

Balseiro A., Gonzalez-Quiros P., Rodriguez O., Copano MF., Merediz I., de Juan L., Chambers MA., Delahay RJ., Marreros N., Royo LJ., Bezos J., Prieto JM. y Gortazar C.

Spatial relationships between Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) and cattle infected with Mycobacterium bovis in Northern Spain

Spatial relationships between Eurasian badgers (Meles meles) and cattle infected with Mycobacterium bovis in Northern Spain

	Servicio Regional de Investigación y Desarrollo Agroalimentario (SERIDA).
	BIOGESTIÓN.
	Dirección General de Biodiversidad y Paisaje. Gobierno del Principado de Asturias.
	Laboratorio de Sanidad Animal. Gobierno del Principado de Asturias.
	Servicio de Micobacterias (MYC). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM).
	Department for Bovine Tuberculosis. Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA).
	National Wildlife Management Centre. Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA).
	Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC). Universidad de Castilla La Mancha (UCLM). Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC). Gobierno de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM).
	Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM).